Who are you and what are you?
by jasmine85
Summary: It has been five years since Dumbledore's death. The war is over and things are going back to normal, but when has the wizarding world ever been normal? Sometimes you don't want to know when someone tells you that you don't want to know.
1. A not so innocent start

Who are you and what are you?

Disclaimer: I own some of the characters, but they aren't the ones you recognize in the start. I also own a can of soda as well as the words nar and narkanuekie.

Chapter 1: A not so innocent start.

It had been five years since Dumbledore had been killed by Severus Snape before him and Draco Malfoy had left the grounds of Hogwarts for what they honestly had both thought for the last time. Four years since the last showdown between Voldemort and Harry Potter had found the 'boy-wonder' victorious and the war ended. Yet it would never be truly ended, not with the ideals that had started it still in the air and still being passed down from generation to generation.

Three years since the trials that had found Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape innocent. The reason for this was the fact that they had both been spies for the Order during the last year of the war. Severus had remained a spy while he had convinced the young Malfoy of becoming the same. This had worked out well for the Order since the Golden Trio would be kept in the dark of this and therefore less likely to be found out by Voldemort and his followers. They had both helped with the defeat and the capture of several of their 'fellows'.

That same year they had both been offered jobs at Hogwarts as professors; they really didn't have much of a choice in this since no one was going to hire former-Death Eaters. Even during this they remained spies since others would rise against the light and against the ideals of muggle-borns and purebloods actually cooperating and living in harmony. They weren't as outspoken in the past or as active since there was no longer a powerful enough leader, but spies where needed to keep tabs. No one wanted a repeat of the war that they had just ended for now.

After two years of teaching found the two Slytherins sitting in the older man's private chambers. They had a bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky between them, two glasses filled with said beverage sat beside them. Severus had found himself once again the Potion's Master and the Head of Slytherin. Slughorn had been killed during the war and the positions needed to be filled. He was the most qualified to do this since he knew the secrets of the Slytherin house and actually knew what he was doing in Potions. Malfoy was given the teaching position that Snape had wanted, it seemed like the curse on the Defense against Dark Arts job had been broken since the war ended.

"Tell me why I am still teaching at this bloody school?" asked the Potion's Master as he picked up his glass and looked at the liquid as he slowly swirled it. The younger professor shook his head as his mentor before he took a sip of his drink.

"Because no one else would hire a man with your personality, never mind being a former Death Eater."

"'Former' Death Eater, most ignore that word and just notice the Death Eater." Replied Snape almost throwing the glass into the fire; on the verge of seeming like a child that only the Malfoy next to him would ever see.

"You know what some of our colleagues would say if they heard you pouting like that." Said Malfoy with a slight quirk of his lips, he never really sneered nor smirked in private unless the train of thought called for it. Snape gave him a slight scowl but both of them knew it was in jest.

They both looked up as a tawny owl swooped into the room, it was larger than normal as it held a single sheet of parchment. It landed on the table between them, careful of the bottle there. Snape looked annoyed by its appearance but calmly took the letter from it. The owl didn't remain long, seeming nervous around the two Slytherins; it quickly flew out of there as soon as it was able to, not waiting for a response.

Snape smirked slightly, it had seemed like he hadn't lost his touch, making the owl act like Longbottom in his first class with the Potion's Master. He frowned when he saw the seal before breaking it. He read it, a scowl growing on his face before he handed it to Malfoy. They had known that they would both be there, so they didn't bother with two different letters. Malfoy growled and threw the letter into the fire, getting some grim satisfaction watching it burn. One thing, one phrase resounded in their minds as they watched the flames engulf the parchment.

"Bloody hell."

Squiggly line xoxoxoxoxoxo

A pair of twinkling eyes watched the pair from the picture fame that he had been painted into. Even after his death, he would always have some influence in the school that he had once looked over. He was watching the conversation between the pair in amusement and yet interest as well to what was being said yet not said. Beyond this room certain things couldn't be said or done because of the situation.

The girl was standing up and heading toward the door, physically she was like any other student that would be starting their instruction at Hogwarts that year, and yet her eyes told of having lived far longer than that. She headed toward the door but paused as Headmistress McGonagall cleared her throat. She turned toward the older woman with a tilt of her head.

"I know these words you may not heed, but considering the circumstances, please do not cause any trouble while you are here. It would be nice to keep this school intact." The young woman gave a nod and had a grin on her face before she left the room. McGonagall turned toward the portrait of her predecessor and shook her head, "This day will mark a change, and you know that don't you?"

The portrait just grinned in his frame, his eyes twinkling just as they once had when he had been alive.

Squiggle line xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Yes this is the start of a new fanfiction; my comp blew up so the other story I started is lost until I can get it fixed, same with chapter 71 of what now. So I will be going with this until then, and this one actually has a plan. I know a short start, but the other chapters will be longer. Please leave a review. Reviews will warm the heart and motivate me, while flames will help cook my dinner.


	2. Diagon Alley

Who are you and what are you?

Disclaimer: I own nar! I do not own the world of Harry Potter, if I did this wouldn't be called fanfiction.

Chapter 2: Diagon Alley

The professors had been told about the new arrival to their school during the evening. The Headmistress had not given much detail as to why a student was staying during the summer holidays, even if it was near the end of said holiday. Students where not allowed to stay at the castle, so why was this new one different? Was there something different about this student that would cause the need for the protection behind these walls? Would there be a chance that whatever the reason for them staying in the castle could lead to another war? If this had been the case wouldn't they have been taken to the order's headquarters or another place of secrecy?

This had been the excuse that Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy had made to actually come to breakfast the next morning. Most of the Professors had also come to breakfast that morning also curious about why this student had been allowed there. A good number of them would have been in the Great Hall for breakfast anyway because this is a chance for them to catch up over what happened during the summer.

"So Severus, are you here because you actually want some fresh air, or is it because you are curious about this student?" asked Madam Pomfrey as she took a sip of her tea, taking a glance at the two professors that normally didn't show up during the summer. She honestly thought that young Draco spent too much time with Severus, to the point that he was becoming like the Potion's Master. Then again Severus benefited with a colleague whom he could have an actual conversation.

"Poppy, I was under the impression that you had an inkling as to my habits after all of these years." He said with a raise of his eyebrow before he ate some of the scrambled eggs on his plate. He wasn't one for eating too much, during the war you never knew when you would be called and a revel was not a good place to have a full stomach.

"No he just decided to grace all of us with his appearance." Said Draco with his famous smirk on his lips. He liked using this against his students, and it was always interesting to use against his fellow Professors when he felt like it. He really couldn't pull a Snape; he had the affect of Lockhart too much in order to do that. This was very apparent when it came to the female and some of the male population of Hogwarts. Snape graced Draco with a sneer before he speared his sausage.

"Good because she and Hagrid already left for Diagon Alley this morning." Replied Professor Granger as she stood up and headed toward the door leading to the entrance hall. She held a small smirk of her own as she walked out, after spending so many years with Malfoy some things rubbed off on her.

Snape still didn't like the fact that the know-it-all Granger was now one of his colleagues. What was worse was that she was the head of the Gryffindor house. She was the current Transfiguration Professor for two reasons, McGonagall could no longer teach the subject since she was the Headmistress, and the other reason was that the person whom had been teaching the subject before Hermione had died in the war.

Professor Granger wasn't the only one added to the staff over these most recent years. Flitwick had decided to retire and had asked Professor Shomak to take over not only Charms, but also the position as the head of Ravenclaw house. This was his first year doing this without Flitwick around to guide him since his training as a head of house had been completed. It had been teary for the old wizard to finally leave Hogwarts for good, but he knew he needed the rest and was no longer able to handle the stresses that where required at being both a Head of house as well as being the charms professor.

Draco glanced at his mentor for a moment. Severus returned the gesture with a slight nod, one that wouldn't be noticed by their colleges. They had to see what kind of child they would be living in the castle with. They would also have to see if any of their 'contacts' would also be keeping an eye on the child while Hagrid escorted her though Diagon alley.

Snape finished off his sausage before he stood up and excused himself from the table. He headed toward what most would have presumed to be the dungeons, making use of his robes; even during a holiday with no students around he had to make sure that he was both remembered and never noticed when leaving a room. Malfoy gave a slight smirk and gave a nod to his fellow professors before he stood up and followed suit. Snape was waiting by the front doors of the castle.

They had both needed to head to Diagon Alley to restock their supplies anyway, and if they just happened to run into Hagrid and this new student while they where there. Well they would just have to see, they where sorted into Slytherin for a reason.

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Earlier that morning…

Hermione had headed toward the Great Hall early that morning; she had wanted a quick breakfast before triple-checking her lesson plans for the next couple of months or so. She opened the doors to the Great Hall and found that someone was already there.

She didn't look like she was older than a first year, but she was sitting at the only table that was in the Great Hall, the High Table. It was strange to see a student in the Great Hall, by herself, at the High Table with no one else present. Even when Hermione had gone to breakfast by herself during her years at Hogwarts, hoping to get to the library early, there had always been at least one Professor.

The girl looked up from what she had been eating, it looked she had piled some eggs, sausage, bacon, with some butter and gravy on some toast to make it a strange kind of sandwich. She seemed to blink a few times and placed the sandwich down on her plate before she stood up.

"I am sorry, I wasn't sure as to where I was suppose to go to meet…" she started before Hermione held up her hand to stop the young girl's apology, shaking her head slightly. This had to be the girl, and the accent told her that she was American. There had to be a good reason why an American witch would be sent here to start her training as a witch.

"Don't be, now I take it you are the student joining us for the summer." Hermione said with a smile, the girl smiled and gave a slight nod.

"Yes Ma'am… I guess I would have to call you Professor." She said with a slight tilt of her head, and a small smile on her lips. Hermione nodded and headed to a chair next to this new student, "I had figured that it would be nice to have breakfast before going and…"

Hermione gave a slight smile as the student had gotten slightly quiet, you could tell that she had more she had wanted to say. Since she was talking to someone that she knew she should respect she didn't to say it. It was strange, sure even witches and wizards had kind of stereotypes for people from different countries, and she had been raised by muggles so this also played a factor; but she seemed polite as well as she didn't attempt to imitate a British accent.

"You figured that since Hagrid is of the male persuasion that you would have the best chance meeting him where you could smell food." The student gave a sheepish grin and a nod, not really sure if this was a good sign or a bad sign. This Professor didn't seem angry about what she had said so far.

"I have a brother, so I had assumed…" The student shook her head slightly, "Sorry, but may I ask as to what you teach, or should I not worry about it until school starts?"

Hermione smiled slightly and resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow; she had been around those two Slytherin professors for too long. "How about you tell me your name and why you are here and I will tell you my name and what I teach."

"I am sorry I have been very rude, I apologize…" Hermione held up a hand, "I know apologizing too much. My name is…"

The doors to the Great Hall opened and Hagrid came through them. Even under the mass of hair known as his beard you could tell that he was smiling. He walked over to the table and noticed the new student sitting there, eating what could have been described as a breakfast sandwich.

"Hello Hermione," he said with the same grin and a nod to the young professor, "I take it yer tha' new student. Wasn' told wha' yer name was."

"As I was about to tell Professor… erm…" she looked at Hermione for a moment before looking back at Hagrid, "My name is…."

A couple of clouds could be seen on the enchanted ceiling as this new student told the two professors her name and some of the things she could say since, she explained, there where many things she couldn't tell them; not yet anyway.

"I s'ppose we be'er get goin', see yeh later Professor." Hagrid said with a nod to Hermione as he and the student stood up, she waved and said a quick good-bye Hermione as she followed the half-giant out of the Great Hall and out of Hogwarts. She had time to say a quick hello and good-bye to some of the other professors in this process. All could tell she was nervous and excited about this day of shopping.

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It would be a couple hours later that would find Severus and Draco standing outside one of the many shops in Diagon Alley watching their newest student picking out scales with Hagrid. So far they could tell she was spoiled, and a slight perfectionist from the fact she took longer to pick a caldron than Snape would have. It even looked like she had wanted more than one but Hagrid had dragged her away from them saying in amusement that they wouldn't have time if she continued like that.

"I take it from the fact that you are keeping an eye on the oaf and his current charge that that would be the student you had written to us about." Said a voice to the two Professors' right, they glanced at the man whom had spoken. He had been one of the lower ranking Death Eaters at the time of Voldemort's death, but he had enough ambition that he would have moved up in the ranks in a few months to the point that Draco and Severus had been.

The man didn't look out of the ordinary, black hair, tan skin and brown eyes that just seemed both innocent and alluring. Voldemort had been planning on using the man to see if any of his higher-ranking officers where thinking of trying to take over once the hard part of this war was over. The man was arrogant, like his wife, both of them believing their son would become the next Voldemort. The Professors' knew he would have wanted to know about this new student soon because of that.

"Your assumption is correct." Replied Severus, this man always annoyed him but he did have to make it seem in jest with his annoyance. Draco and himself where the only ones whom really could keep him in check since none of the others seemed to notice the man's ambition, they sooner assumed Draco would be the one to take over after the Dark Lord after all. His name was Dorado Horologii; it was a strange name even by wizarding terms. Once one discovered what it meant, you almost felt sorry for him.

They glanced over toward Flourish & Blotts where Hagrid had taken the student, looking like he was getting ready to drag her away from one of the books but she had sighed and put the book back before she headed toward the front and paid for her books. As the student and Hagrid left the shop, heading toward the stationary shop for her parchment and other such items, Dorado pulled out what looked like an ordinary pocket watch and seemed to fiddle with it for a moment before putting it away.

Nearby walking out of the Quidditch supply store was a young man whom looked like he would be starting his first year at Hogwarts as well. Severus recognized the boy as Dorado's eldest child, whom looked almost nothing like him. He had a lighter complexion, like his mother, with dark brown hair was the only indication he was Dorado's child. His eyes where a kind of blue that seemed cold, calculating, waiting to find a weakness; actually they seemed to try to do that but seemed out of practice.

Draco and Severus shared a quick glance, Severus giving a quick nod to indicate that this was the son that Dorado always spoke of. Snape remembered when those eyes hadn't been so cold, it hadn't been so long ago, and perhaps it was just in time that the youth went to school and away from his parents. The boy had a twin sister, but their parents didn't have high hopes for her. Draco never had a chance to meet the twins but Severus had, she was bubbly with the same blue eyes that her brother once had, she had the same skin, but she had strawberry blonde hair.

When Severus first met them they where so alike, if it wasn't for the hair, and the fact that they where dressed for their gender he would have thought them the same person. He almost wondered as to what happened to the boy since the last time he had seen him.

Draco had a slight gift to be able to predict what house a child would be put in when he had a chance to talk to them for a few moments, if he had met the twins, he would have said that both of them would have been in Gryffindor. It would have been amusing, but from the look of it Dorado had noticed the same thing in his son and had decided to take things into his own hands.

Severus shook his head, when it came down to it the boy wouldn't last in Slytherin, but he wasn't sure if he would be safer in another house. No matter what Dorado had done to his son, it couldn't change that fact. Then again he had thought the same thing about Draco, the young Malfoy had been exposed to the inter-workings of the society that was against the muggle-borns at a very young age. Dorado never introduced any of his children to anyone outside of the immediate neighborhood, and himself.

If Dorado had started on his son when he was very young then he might have had a chance to mold him into what he wanted. That had been his mistake; he didn't seem to know a thing about children and how to get them to do what you wanted out of them. It was like the man didn't remember what it was like to be that young, or he never was.

That is an advantage that Slytherin tends to have over the other houses, the children already knew each other thanks to their parents. That was what had made Draco the leader; he had an influential enough father, as well as the fact he had known most of his fellows. How long he had known them varied depending on how important his father had felt for him to know them.

"He doesn't look a thing like you." Commented Draco as they watched the young man head into the stationary store. Dorado gave a chuckle, and a smirk; it wasn't hard to tell as to what the man had up his sleeve. They watched in silence, just to see if the younger Horologii would actually do what his father required of him.

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Hagrid didn't know what to think about this young girl, all of the Professors where going to be asking him about her. They where wondering just as much as he did about why she was staying there. A space had appeared on their lists the night before, but the name never appeared. It was like until the sorting ceremony, her name wasn't to be written. She had told him and Hermione what her name was, but he doubted that the name would have showed up on her or any Professors' lists.

He smiled slightly as she picked up a bottle of color changing ink, every first year tended to have at least one of those. One thing he knew for sure, she was hyper, and stubborn, and therefore she was perfect Gryffindor material. The girl tilted her head as she was looking at the different quills, out of the corner of Hagrid's eye he noticed a boy walk into the store that was near the girl's age.

Hagrid glanced out the window and noticed the group watching them; he had known the Professors would have been watching. He could only guess about the third man in the group, Draco and Severus knew what they where doing so he didn't worry about it.

"You know I find the eagle quills don't quite write as smoothly as falcon ones." Said the boy as he stood near the girl, reaching over to grab one of the slightly smaller falcon quills. The girl glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips.

"That maybe so, but until I can get used to writing with a quill and become confident enough to handle a smaller quill, I believe my best bet is with the eagle." She said with a cheerful smile as she grabbed a few of the eagle quills. She turned and looked the boy over, "You know I figured you would go for the eagle quills."

"Now why would you think that? You think I would be too clumsy to handle a smaller quill?" he asked, wondering what her angle was. She seemed to smirk more, were they sure she wasn't related to the Malfoys? She didn't have the hair for it, but she seemed to like to smirk a lot.

"Because most guys of any age feel that bigger is better." She said in such an innocent way that you either believed it was innocent or it was down right improper. Whichever way she meant it, it seemed to have the effect she wanted because she gave a grin and turned heading toward the parchment that she would need for the year.

The boy seemed to blink a few times before looking at the quills again, his father wouldn't mind him getting a few quills to make it believable as to why he was there. He seemed to shrug before grabbing another quill as well as bottle of ink. Hagrid just shook his head, he wasn't sure if Hogwarts was going to be ready. If she was this much of a smart aleck at this age, she was going to butt-heads with the two Slytherins on the staff. He walked over and made sure that she didn't end up buying three years worth parchment that she seemed adamant on taking.

"Well you see my handwriting is so big that I would have to write longer essays to make up for how much space it takes up. So one person's year would have to be a few years for me, plus I am a slight perfectionist when it doesn't involve my penmanship." She said as if it was a common thing, she gave a slight shrug, but she did put some of it back.

"D'yeh know if yeh'd wan' a pet yer firs' year?" asked Hagrid as she went up and paid for her supplies, this was their last stop, she had insisted that the first place they go to had been Ollivander's. It had been reopened after the war, so most of the Hogwarts students had Ollivander's wands once again. She had wanted to do that first so she could get used to having it around, well that was what she had told Hagrid.

"It's a bummer er… sorry, I mean it's a shame that we can't have more than one. " she said with a slight shrug, "Oh well, I would say my best bet would be an owl."

Hagrid gave a nod and a slight smile before leading her to Eeylops Owl Emporium, the boy that had been watching them remained behind for a little longer before heading back into the Quidditch supplies shop. He at least knew what the girl looked like, that was something to go on. Just one thing at a time at this point, he would find out more on the train when he saw her again. Even if his father didn't wish it, it might be good to get his sister involved in this; he would always need a partner in crime.

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"It might be best if we part ways, the oaf should be taking her back to Hogwarts after she gets herself an owl." Said Severus as the young Horologii headed toward the Quidditch shop, Dorado nodded with a slight frown on his face.

"Yes, I should stop my son from buying something from that infernal shop." He said before he gave a slight nod to the Professors and heading toward the shop. Draco raised an eyebrow for a moment before glancing at Severus.

"I take it the man doesn't like Quidditch." Said Draco as he and Severus headed toward the Apothecary, they doubted Hagrid was that brainless that something would happen during getting an owl and getting the girl back to Hogwarts.

"He doesn't like the idea of flying, and the fact that his children would be able to get away from him if they had a broom." Said Severus with a slight shake of his head, "Scared of heights and wants to be able to control everything about his children."

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Doesn't seem like he can do that much very well, no wonder the Dark Lord didn't worry about him, no one else would either."

"Yet we should for that same point, something seems off about him when it comes to why the Dark Lord didn't kill him. I can tell you it wasn't just because he seemed expendable and perfect for what the Dark Lord 'claimed' him to be there for." Draco had nodded in agreement to Severus's statement. Draco didn't know the man very well but he could tell he wasn't stable; they would have to wait and see as to what his children would be like in school.

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Sorry it took me so long to get this next chapter up, my comp kept on crashing and erasing everything every few weeks. It no longer does that; I guess a virus was pre-installed on the darn thing. Since I don't have Internet when I finished this I will end up starting chapter three and I might even have that chapter done by the time I get Internet again. Thanks for reading; hopefully I will get into the habit of being ahead a few chapters in my writing than my posting. Until next time!


	3. Owl names and Dinner

Who are you and what are you?

Disclaimer: I own a cow slipper that goes moo! As well as a hyper puppy that likes to chew up headset cords and milk jugs. I do not own Hogwarts nor do I own most of the Professors.

(A/N: I am from America but this is the impression I get of how other countries see us. I started this before DH came out so it isn't quiet compatible at first, you will see what I mean.)

Chapter 3: Owl names & dinner

By the time Professors Snape and Malfoy had returned it was nearly time for supper to be served in the Great Hall. Neither of them where in a hurry to get to the Great Hall, even if this student was there, they would find out soon enough, from either one of the other professors, each other, or from the girl herself.

"GIVE THAT BACK YOU CASPER WANNABE!" Came a young voice from several floors up causing not only the two Professors in the Entrance Hall to pause but the others to come out of either the Great Hall or their offices.

Professor Granger was one of the ones in their office when it had happened. She had been checking over her teaching schedule once again when she had heard a shout that hadn't been as loud. By the time she had gotten up and checked out into the corridor she saw Peeves float past with what looked like a white teddy bear. She checked down the corridor and saw the student chasing after him.

The student ran past calling out a quick sorry as she continued chasing after the poltergeist, now yelling the phrase that had gotten the other Professors attention throughout the castle. Hermione tilted her head slightly, Peeves wasn't much of a Casper, but any of the other comments the girl could have made pertaining to muggle ghosts would have found the bear destroyed or at the very least ruined.

The Professor shook her head slightly, she knew yelling wouldn't do any good. Peeves wasn't one to harm a student, not too badly anyway when it came to physically, mentally he took great joy in tormenting already angst-ridden teenagers. With no one else to really bother during this time besides Flitch, the other Professors and the ghosts he seemed to be glad to have an early first year there.

The two Slytherins watched from the Entrance Hall in amusement as the girl chased down the poltergeist down all of those stairs. The whole time she continued to yell at the top of her lungs, not really caring whom was listening on the way down.

"WHERE ARE A COUPLE OF PROTON PACKS WHEN YOU NEED THEM?" was one of the things that she said as she raced down the stairs before she stopped and decided to slide down the banister after him. This left her more breath to yell, "FORGET THE PROTON PACKS I JUST NEED A DAMN VACCUM!"

Draco Malfoy just shook his head before he started up the stairs, if this is what the rest of the Summer Holidays was going to be like; then it wasn't much of a Holiday for him or any of the other Professors.

He paused as he felt something soft hit his shoulder; he blinked as he looked down at the ground. He raised an eyebrow as he bent down to pick up a white teddy bear; he was slightly surprised to see that it was heavier than it looked. It seemed like something had been placed into the bear when it was created. He didn't have much time to examine it when the girl slid down the banister and stopped near him.

"Is he always like that sir?" she asked slightly out of breath before she shook her head, "Sorry about causing trouble I was just…"

"Aren't you a little too old to be playing with toys?" he asked, sounding a little like his mentor. He wasn't in the best mood, shopping tended to do that to him, and the fact that they had met up with Dorado hadn't helped matters. Shopping was boring when you had money your whole life, for males that is. Females that had been born into money loved shopping, that was just a general rule among the pureblooded families. The only times the men could enjoy shopping was when it involved Quidditch, books, or ingredients for potions; depending on what the man's favorite hobby was.

That being said, Draco did enjoy spending his father's money when he was younger. Things changed when it became his money, as well as when he was earning his own. He did enjoy shopping even now, but he had to give the impression it bored him and would rather be at home doing something constructive. How ever constructive one can be while shagging wasn't the point, and the fact that he really didn't have anyone to shag with had nothing to do with it. Then again, it was a well known fact that the only thing that a man might enjoy more than shagging was eating, but that was highly debatable depending on the man as well as whom the partner in the shagging would be.

"May I have it back Professor?" she asked, calmly holding out her hand for the bear. It looked like she was holding back a few choice words; actually it just looked like she wanted to beat the crap out of him. The thought amused him; with the way she had acted so far she would be in Gryffindor, they never beat around the bush when it came to things they wanted, "Please?"

Draco had almost added something else but paused when she had said the please, it wasn't really an afterthought; it was like she knew what he was going to say next. It really didn't even sound like she was adding it just to get the bear faster. It actually sounded pitiful; she really didn't expect to get the bear back. To much of his jargon, it actually made him pity her for a moment and he didn't know why.

"Thank you sir." She said with a slight bow after Draco had dropped it into her hands. She clutched the bear before starting to run up the stairs, he watched her for a few moments. She ran like she expected him to change his mind, acting like a Hufflepuff on their first day at Hogwarts.

Draco shook his head, what was that about? One moment she is a brash Gryffindor; next she was a fearful Hufflepuff. Next she will either pull either a nosy Ravenclaw, or a sneaky Slytherin. Most people are not just one house, everyone was a little of each, but which ever they tended to show the most would be the one they would be.

By the time that Draco had dropped his things off in his office the girl was half way between him and the Great hall as he headed down the stairs. The timing would be very interesting, Draco thought with a slight smirk, at her current rate she would end up running into Severus as they headed into the hall. This would be a very entertaining encounter to see.

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Snape raised an eyebrow as he noticed the girl heading toward the hall at a rate that would cause them to reach the doors at a close enough toward to the same time that this could cause a slight stir from her.

He glanced toward his godson whom had a look on his face that he had noticed the same thing, when they compared notes at a later time it might not be necessary, but they would for the habit and for anything either might have missed on their own.

Severus noticed for a split-second that the girl glanced in his direction before she skipped the rest of the way. She opened the door but instead of going inside she held the door open for him. It looked like she wanted to avoid a confrontation; either that or she was actually being polite. She didn't say a word as he passed, so he figured it had been the former rather than the latter.

She paused and glanced at Draco as he continued down the stairs, she gave him a strange look, it seemed like she was confused about him before she headed in after Professor Snape. Draco narrowed his eyes for a moment, something just didn't seem right when she gave him that look.

He really didn't want to have to deal with an American, but it did make him more alert to the point that there had to be a good reason why she was there. Something just didn't click when it came to her being shy. She more than likely knew what she was expected to be like, rash and rude, that is how Americans are known to be like. He really could only wait until there was a real chance to observe to see how much she fit that description.

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The conversation was pleasant, to the jargon of Severus; he didn't like conversations with his peers very often, especially the pleasant kind. The student would answer to questions, but she seemed to think it would be rude of her to ask too many. It just didn't make sense to Snape. This was a student that was from another country, America even, a place that was known for rudeness, unnecessary volume of voice and gluttony. She had barely eaten anything and she had barely spoken a word other than what had been required to not be rude.

She could be loud; she had proven that when she had been chasing Peeves, it hadn't even seemed to register to her as to how loud she had been during that. If she hadn't been trying before then it was going to be entertaining when she would actually get mad at someone. Truly mad, when she had been chasing after Peeves she just seemed more annoyed than anything. He was sure that wouldn't take long for the fact that she also seemed to have a temper.

" 'ave yeh pick a name fer yer owl?" Hagrid said bringing Severus out of his silent musings. The girl had been nibbling on some Shepherd's pie, she had made a comment that she had wanted to try to make it back home but she didn't have the chance before she was taken to Hogwarts.

"Not yet, but I do have a list of possibilities." She said as she pulled out a folded parchment out of the pocket of her jeans. She had a slight gleam in her eyes as she looked over her list, "I figured it would be best to use names that where less likely to be used by other students."

"You will not be the only student that has a muggle background, so there is a chance that whatever you pick someone will recognize." Replied Draco as he sipped on some tea, if she read off the list this would be entertaining to him, it would be a test to him for muggle studies, as well as a good test for the muggle studies professor.

"Well Professor, you can look it over to tell me as to what would be recognizable." She said with an air of innocence as she handed the list over to Draco. Severus could tell Draco was slightly shocked from this but he took the list, both of them having seen a very slight glimmer in the student's eyes. He looked down at the list and couldn't hide the confusion.

"What is a Seph-ee-roth?" Said Malfoy as he blinked a few times at one of the possible names. Most of the professors shared the same look of confusion except for Shomak whom spit out about half of the tea that he had been sipping as he listened to the conversation.

"I hope he doesn't mean Sephiroth." Replied Professor Shomak as he looked at this student, getting a strange look on his face when the student nodded, "Let me see that list."

He grabbed the list from Malfoy whom was a little too confused to really even notice until a few more names had been read off.

"Kamicalo? You mean when… Yup you have Piccolo here as well…"

"You wanted to name an owl after a flute?" intervened Hermione with confusion even for her.

"Nope the kind of Piccolo that is tall, green has antenna and fangs." Said the student with a slight chuckle in her voice.

"Gohan, Vegeta, anyone from there not mentioned? Razel? The guy whom was dead and blue, Razel?" He paused long enough for the student to nod, she seemed to enjoy his slight discomfort, "I was waiting for Cloud to show up, can't have Sephiroth without him. Ranma, hey you are missing Ryoga!"

"Well if you remember Ryoga, he didn't have a sense of direction. Not a good thing for an owl. If I ever get a pig might call it that, or P-Chan." The student said with a smile before Shomak went back to the list, both of them seeming to have forgotten the other Professors at the table.

"Shin? Purple guy with the Mohawk?" By this time Draco had gotten out of his trance and grabbed the list back, trying to make sense of at least one of the names there. He grabbed a hold of one of the first recognizable words there.

"Zero isn't' that creative of a name, and it would almost seem cruel to the owl." Remarked Draco as he looked at one of the few recognizable words. A small smile graced the lips of the girl as she glanced over towards Professor Malfoy.

"Actually that is in reference to a ghost dog with a small glowing pumpkin for…"

"A nose." Finished Professor Granger as she held a small smile on her lips glad she recognized at least one of the things that where being spoken about. It had not been that long ago that she had last interacted with the muggle world.

"Would that mean Link is also the name of another…. Character?" asked Professor Snape with a slightly raised eyebrow as he glanced at the list over Draco's shoulder. Part of him was really starting to feel sorry for the owl, if these where the kind of names she was pulling from Muggle culture then the poor thing would have been better off named after a food.

"That isn't who I think it is, is it?" asked Shomak, it had a slight tone of long suffering and a small hope that it wasn't what he was thinking, "You are not like my cousin are you?"

"I can't help it if he looks good in the blue tunic." She said with a grin, almost expecting the look that crossed Shomak's face. He looked like he either wanted to laugh or hit his head with something, several times.

"If you squeal, you will get detention for a month."

The girl covered her mouth in an attempt to stifle the giggles that really wanted to form. "I am sorry, I had a feeling not many in the wizarding world would know about what I would be talking about."

"Yes, so you may want to make sure that because of the cultural difference that you don't call your poor owl something that could be…. How to say it?" said Professor Malfoy as he leaned back slightly in his chair making a show of thinking of a way to put it that the girl might understand.

"I have some knowledge about slang differences, reason why I should try not to blush when a fellow muggle-born complains about missing rubbers." She said as a blush crept onto her face, looking down at her plate, seeming to debate on if she wanted to eat some more carrots.

Snape and Draco glanced at each other with a slight risen eyebrow each; they had heard muggle-borns talk about them and how they corrected mistakes. As far as they knew there wasn't a reason she should have been blushing, it must have been an American thing.

"I see at least a few first year muggle-borns each year bring some despite the fact that they wouldn't use them past the first month." Commented Professor Sprout as she finished the last of her mashed potatoes. The girl shook her head slightly, looking like she was trying to get a few images out of her head.

"In America rubbers are called erasers, a rubber in America is something totally, completely different." She said as she stabbed some carrots and munched on them, "And I don't want to explain as to what they are in America, they do have them in Britain, the slang is different but I believe the official name is the same."

The girl sat back slightly and looked at what was left on her plate, looking like she loathed what was there. It was amusing to some of the professors, a few of them looked like they understood what it was about. She blinked a few times and nodded, a small smile on her lips, "I think I have it, but it is too long to really use all of the time."

She looked at the ceiling for a few moments, seeming to be waiting for something. She looked around for a moment before the food before them was replaced by dessert. She blinked and seemed to look at some of the rice pudding as if waiting for something to jump out of it.

"Something wrong?" asked McGonagall with a slight quip of her lips, one couldn't tell if she was annoyed or amused. The student looked at the headmistress for a moment, back to the rice pudding then at the headmistress for a few times. It was slightly comical before she sat up again.

"Sorry just something I will have to get used to, so it all just disappears." She shook her head before she picked up some trifle. She glanced up for a moment and noticed the candles. "I think I am going to miss s'mores."

"S'mores?" asked Professor Sprout as she started on some pudding, one couldn't be sure as to what kind it was. The student paused for a few moments, seeming to choose her words carefully.

"It is something that is made often during camping trips, you roast marshmallows add some chocolate and squish it between some graham crackers." She paused for a moment, "I think they, the graham crackers I mean, are called digestive biscuits here."

"You mean what some people use to make the crusts of cheesecakes?" asked Madame Pomfrey as she nibbled on some jam doughnuts. The student tilted her head for a few moments, not really paying attention to the people around her. She shook her head and glanced around at the teachers before she looked down at her plate again.

"Yes, I believe so." She looked at the list again and turned it upside down before she folded it back up and put it in her pocket, "I just realized I am going to have to get used to robes and a cloak."

Professor Malfoy raised an eyebrow for a moment and smirked, "It is a customary change for those whom are raised among muggles most of their lives."

The student sighed and allowed her forehead to rest against the table, actually it ended up on her plate in the middle of her trifle, "Well fudge-monkey, this is going to be a long week."

She sat up and grabbed what was left of her trifle off of her forehead, "If you all shall excuse me, hopefully you won't find me rude, but I don't believe you want to look at me all night when you will be wondering if I am saving what is on my face for later or not."

She carefully walked away from the table and out of the hall. When she was out of earshot of the others she ran up the stairs. She didn't care if she passed by any ghosts or any paintings that wanted to talk to her, she had a feeling something was waiting for her in her temporary room. It might explain a few things to her; it could tell her if she could get back or not. She wasn't sure she would last the week she was stuck here before school, let alone having to go though school.

She was short of breath by the time she made it to her room, "Well it goes to show that training has actually done me some good. Still wouldn't be a good idea to get too lax in it just because I am stuck here."

"What kind of training did you do?" asked a voice to her right; she jumped slightly and looked around for the source of the voice. Her eyes finally rested upon one of the paintings that where near the door that lead to her room, the 'person' whom had spoken was a portrait of witch that had an air of pride around her. Her smile was kind but her eyes almost seemed empty.

"It involves a lot of running, a lot of yelling and a lot of…" the student paused as she tried to think of the right wording, "ducking."

The witch looked at her for a few moments, a smile pulling on her lips, "I see, there might not be much call for that kind of training unless you pick up Quidditch."

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"I don't think we have anything to worry about because she is insane. Even by muggle standards she is insane." Said Draco as he sat with Severus and a bottle of Firewhisky watching the fire once again, "Who would name an owl 'sef-ee-roth'?"

"I think she is in shock." Replied the elder Slytherin, before the younger of the two could make a comment Snape continued, "She is showing some signs of some kind of shock."

Malfoy blinked a few times and looked at the fire, it made sense, with how quickly she seemed to change personality wise. "She seemed eager to get out of there once she realized she would be here for a week, let alone for a year."

"I think longer than that, if they have her here now who knows if she will end up at the order or some place else after her first year." Severus stood up and placed his glass on the mantle, "If she really doesn't want to be here, it wouldn't be hard for her to just walk out. There is no patrol that I know of."

"Would you think someone would actually be ignorant enough to leave the castle at night?"

"I highly doubt Hagrid would have been smart enough to warn her of the Forbidden Forest. As well as the fact that if we are right and she is in shock she might not be thinking straight." Malfoy narrowed his eyes at his mentor, watching him for a few moments.

"Are you suggesting that we hound the girl and make sure she doesn't wander off and get herself into trouble? If we did that, no one would get any rest in this castle." Draco blinked a few times and looked at Severus, "I am acting like a teenager, I am bloody acting like a teenager."

Snape chuckled and looked toward his godson for a moment, "You are not that long an adult, you are still young enough to have an occasional outburst. There are some you just never grow out of. Now as for this student, we don't need to 'hound' her as you put it. We are wizards after all, we just need to be creative."

Draco smirked slightly at the thought, "Looks like this won't be a completely boring week. So how do you think we should start? You seem to have had practice in this sort of thing in the past."

"Have I honestly taught you nothing? I would say this could be a test for you, but considering this girl has no experience in trying to avoid detection it should be a cake walk." said Snape with a risen eyebrow toward the young man. Malfoy glanced toward Snape for a moment before a smirk crossed his lips.

"It has been a while since I had a chance to use my Malfoy charm. Now first things first."

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The girl sat back, looking at the things that had been waiting for her when she had returned to her room after supper with her soon-to-be professors. She could only hope she could get things straightened out before the week was up, if not then things weren't going to work out at all when school actually started. She looked at her owl as it perched on the windowsill.

"So I guess I have a long night ahead of me, hopefully they won't expect me for breakfast in the morning." She looked around for a few moments; "I am going to have to figure out how to smuggle some hot chocolate in here."

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Sorry for the long wait, I started work so it takes a good while before I actually get to the comp. Hopefully I should be able to actually attempt to update more often but with work but might take a while before I can attempt a schedule for updates for anything.


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